TURNOUT CONSTRUCTION FOR OPERATION & APPEARANCE By Bill Ataras - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

October 6, 2013 1

TURNOUT CONSTRUCTION FOR OPERATION & APPEARANCE

By Bill Ataras Model Railroad Engineer, Civil October 6, 2013

October 6, 2013 2

Introduction

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Why build your own turnouts & special trackwork

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Important – REQUIRED - information

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What we will cover today

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What's included in the hand-out (CD)

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For more information

October 6, 2013 3

Why Build Our Own Track

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Have track elements that aren't available “off the shelf”

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Model using prototypical rail sizes

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Have improved operational reliability

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Have improved electrical reliability

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Have the satisfaction of building something that looks great and works even better

October 6, 2013 4

What is REQUIRED

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Here comes a shameless promotional message for the NMRA!!

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You need dimensions to build a car, engine or structure

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You also need dimensions to build trackwork (duh!)

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Standards

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These provide the dimensional data required to get all the pieces in the right positions

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S-3.1 Prototype & Fine Scale Track Standards

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S-3.2 Model Track Standards

October 6, 2013 5

Topics to be Covered Here

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How to lay out a turnout

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How to make points and stock rails

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How to mate points and stock rails

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How to make a frog – EASILY!

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How to make wing rails and guard rails

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How to make a reliable, insulated throwbar

October 6, 2013 6

1.000" 6.000"

LAYING OUT THE CENTER LINES

NUMBER 6 TURNOUT SHOWN

SAME FOR ALL SCALES AND GAUGES

POINT OF INTERSECTION OF CENTER LINES FROG NUMBER

Laying out Track Center Lines

October 6, 2013 7

Laying out Turnout Ties

POINT OF FROG TIE HEEL OF POINT TIE DIM 24 DIM 8 DIM 2

3 .9 0 6 " 2 .1 2 5 " 6 .2 5 0 "

NUMBER 6 HO STD GAUGE TURNOUT

0 .5 8 7 "

LAST 16' SWITCH TIE SWITCH TIES SHOWN ARE 16' X 8" WIDE STANDARD TIES SHOWN ARE 8.5' x 8" WIDE REMAINING SWITCH TIES ARE ON 20" CENTERS

0 .2 5 3 "

HEAD BLOCK TIES ( 2 )

22" CENTERS

October 6, 2013 8

Preparing the Stock Rails

TOE OF POINT

CLEARANCE FOR POINT ALONG STOCK RAIL

TOE OF POINT LINE H EEL OF POINT LINE

PLACEMENT OF SPIKE TABS

PLACE TABS OVER TIES H OLE JUST CLEARS SPIKE SH ANK

October 6, 2013 9

Preparing the Point Rails

FIRST STEP IN FOR MING A POINT RAIL 0.578" BEND LINE HEEL OF POINT FILING LINE AFTER FIR ST FILING STEP FILING LINE FILE DOWN AGAINST BASE, HEAD AND WEB

AFTER SECOND FILING STEP FILING LINE FILE HEAD UP TO WEB AFTER THIRD FILING STEP FILING LINE TAPER WEB AND HEAD TO POINT AT TOP OF TOE

STEP 1 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

October 6, 2013 10

Making the Point of the Frog

AFTER BENDING TO FROG ANGLE FROG ANGLE BEFORE FILING FROG RAIL FILE LINE

AFTER FILING FROG RAIL

STEP 1 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

October 6, 2013 11

Making the Point of the Frog (2)

STEP 1 STEP 4 STEP 5 STEP 6

BEND SIDES BACK TO FROG ANGLE

AFTER BENDING FROG RAIL

SOLDER TAB TO HOLD WING RAILS 0.092" 0.250" MAKE TAB FROM 0.005" BRASS SHIM

October 6, 2013 12

Preparing the Turnout Points

POINT TAB BRASS 0.015" THICK 0.060" 0.210" 0.018"

HINGE PIN 0.015" DIA. STEEL WIRE 2 REQUIRED 0.031" 0.140"

PLEXIGLAS THROWBAR HOLE FOR DRIVE WIRE 0.063" 0.125" 0.085" 0.870" 0.125" 0.028"

THROWBAR INSTALLATION TIE END LINE 2 HEAD BLOCK TIES, 14' NORMAL TIES 8'6: or to suit 1.932" 1.175" 0.590"

October 6, 2013 13

Electrical Connections to Points

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Reliable operation requires dependable electrical connections to EVERY rail.

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A point touching a stock rail is a TERRIBLE electrical connection.

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Electrically and mechanically connect the point to the stock rail to the heel of the point. This guarantees that the point will be electrically connected – always!

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This requires the use of an insulating throwbar. I've tried various methods, but prefer the plexiglas bar shown here.

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For heavy rail, code 83 and up, the heel of the point is hinged. Use flat strip of 0.005” brass soldered over the gap between the point and closure rail.

October 6, 2013 14

Preparing Guard Rails

0.400" 1.518" 11' HO GUARD RAIL 1.000" POINT OF FROG LEFT OF THIS LINE

DRAWN USING COD E 70 RAIL

0.400"

October 6, 2013 15

Guard Rail Design Notes

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Guard Rails are straight, not bent

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Bevel the flangeway side at each end to leave room for the wheel flange to enter the flangeway

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Most of the time, the base of the stock rail and guard rail will not be in contact. Remember, the flangeway is a relatively constant width; the base of the rails are wider for large code rail.

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Use thin brass tabs soldered to the bottoms of the stock rail and guard rail to set the correct position, or

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Use Pliobond to hold the guard rail in the correct position

October 6, 2013 16

Summary

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There's only a few parts you need to make:

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Stock Rails

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Points

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Frog

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Guard Rails

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This will let you build ANY special trackwork!!!

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Expect to invest some trial and error time on your first couple of turnouts

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It's fun – and that's what model railroading is all about

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Have a few unique, 1 of a kind, trackwork scenes